WITH the whole country being in a national lockdown and with restrictions meaning households cannot mix it can feel like there are no positive news stories.

Yet despite all the negativity, there has been a lot of optimistic news from Oxfordshire. 

Here are the happiest stories from this week:

1. Residents in care home receive Covid vaccine 

This week residents and care workers at a care home in Cumnor Hill have all been given their Covid-19 jabs.

Clinical lead nurse at Chawley Grove Care Home in Cumnor Hill, Emma Fielder, said it was a ‘wonderful’ moment to welcome the vaccination team into the home and felt it was a 'hugely positive' step following a challenging year.

Read more about this positive story here.

2. Taxi companies across the county lend a helping hand

Taxi companies across Oxfordshire have been helping out over the lockdown period.

Abdul's Taxi Service, based in West Oxfordshire, is offering free rides to elderly residents who need help getting to vaccination hubs.

011 Taxis, based in Oxford, are also helping out independent businesses over the third lockdown.

The taxi company is pairing with pharmacies and takeaways to help deliver items to customers.

3. Housing provided for homeless 

A pilot project called 'Housing First' has helped provide new long-term homes for six people who were living on the streets.

A former rough sleeper has started the New Year by moving into his own flat in southern Oxfordshire.

The project is run by South Oxfordshire District Council and Didcot-based not-for-profit Soha Housing in partnership with the homeless charity Aspire.

Read more about this story here

4. Teacher makes 12th donation of her Covid-fighting blood

A science teacher is has made her 12th donation of potentially life-saving plasma.

Lizzi Wallace, a science teacher from High Wycombe, has now made 12 trips to the John Radcliffe Hospital since June.

Blood plasma is a yellowish liquid that makes up about half of a person’s blood volume.

After a virus, this plasma contains antibodies that are used to help fight infection.

As Ms Wallace had Covid in March, she has coronavirus-fighting antibodies that could be useful in the fight against the pandemic.

5. Uma Thurman film happening in Oxford 

This week it was revealed that a film production starring Uma Thurman was filmed in Oxford.

A cast and crew of about 150 people worked around the clock, filming at Exeter College, the Examination Schools and the Museum of Natural History for a production codenamed ‘Tailspin’.

The production is believed to be a drama actually called Suspicion for the streaming service Apple TV by the writer of Die Hard and The Fugitive, and starring Uma Thurman.

Read more about the production here